


Ice Queen

by WrathoftheStag (Mwuahna)



Series: Parenthood, Please! [5]
Category: Check Please! (Webcomic)
Genre: Future Fic, Gen, Giselle plays hockey, Jack and Bitty's daughter, Magazine Interview, Vincent is a figure skater, beep boop, beep boop grows up, fives, fun with photoshop, jack and bitty are celebrating their 29th wedding anniversary
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-05
Updated: 2017-03-05
Packaged: 2018-09-28 12:32:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,346
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10100969
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mwuahna/pseuds/WrathoftheStag
Summary: ESPN magazine interview with Jack and Bitty's daughter, Giselle.  Future fic where she's a two-time hockey Olympian and her brother, is an Olympic figure skater.  Part of theParenthood, Please!series.  (Beep Boop as a grown up.)





	

**Author's Note:**

> **ICE QUEEN**  
_**Two-time U.S. Olympian and hockey forward Giselle Bittlemann discusses medaling, her famous family, being a woman in hockey, and her future as a GM.** _  
_By Carlos Harrison-Perez_

“I won’t talk about my personal life, I won’t talk about my parents’ personal life or my grandparents’. And if you anyone asks me who my favorite fashion designers are, I’m calling it a day,” Giselle Bittlemann explained to me—not seeming angry, just practical, matter-of-fact.

She paused. “I will talk about hockey ad nauseum, and my brother’s career,” she conceded. “Because he’s amazing.” 

I met Giselle Bittlemann at a coffee shop in Manhattan. She arrives five minutes early, and shakes my hand with a strong grip. She has an easy smile that puts you at ease, but also gives off a no bullshit demeanor. Fresh from her gold medal win as part of Team USA at the Calgary Olympics, Bittlemann appears relaxed and happy, and it’s clear that none of it has gone to her head.

Her double latte comes to the table and she takes a long sip. When she takes a bite of her slice of apple pie, she purses her lips and shakes her head. 

“Not as good as my dad’s, but then again no one’s is. I grew up in my dad’s bakery’s kitchen, so I know baked goods.”

Born Giselle Bittle-Zimmermann in Providence, Rhode Island, 24-year-old Bittlemann is the daughter of Jack Zimmermann and food writer Eric Bittle. She’s also the granddaughter of NHL legend Bad Bob Zimmermann. She’s had more Stanley Cups than sippy cups in her childhood, and hockey is absolutely part of her DNA. 

“I’ve been on the ice almost as long as I’ve been walking. Growing up in our house, it was expected-- but not in a ‘Do it or else!’ kind of way. It was just who we were.” During the interview, it’s apparent that two things make Bittlemann’s eyes shine: her family and hockey. 

As excited about her latest gold medal as she is, Bittlemann admits she thought things would be slightly different.

“I grew up thinking I was going to be in the NHL. I was convinced that I was going to be the first woman in the NHL and was pissed when it didn’t happen. I played co-ed in Samwell and thought that was where my athletic career was heading.”

A third generation Samwell University graduate, Bittlemann earned a degree in French studies. “My fathers and grandmother went to Samwell. I have Wellie blood in me, but let me tell you there’s not a dying need for someone who can tell you all about the linguistic and cultural contributions of the French-speaking regions of the world.” 

She laughed, “But it seemed like the right path for me. My brother ended up going to Brown and is finishing his degree in comparative literature.”

Bittlemann’s brother is figure skater Vincent Bittlemann, who also medaled in Calgary and won a silver medal in Men’s Skating. His coach is former Olympian Johnny Weir.

Bittlemann lights up when speaking of her brother, “He’s one of the smartest people I know. He’s so erudite but so low key and approachable about it. Well, he’s also the baby of the family so we all love him. He’s my best friend.”

I asked whether there was any disagreement over her brother’s choice to go into figure skating instead of hockey. 

“Absolutely not! My dad [Eric] started out as a figure skater and was really good. Unfortunately, he grew up in small town Georgia and there wasn’t much of a chance for him to go far with it unless my grandparents moved to, say, Atlanta.”

Bittlemann takes a long sip of her coffee then continues, “Vincent and I are so fortunate that we grew up in a home where we were encouraged to dream, to be whom we wanted to be-- without reproach or guilt. Our parents are amazing and always, always supported us. Even when V decided on Brown instead of Samwell, my papa [Jack] went on and on about his son ‘the Ivy Leaguer.’”

She uses the Bittlemann name professionally because, “It’s easier to fit on a jersey.” When asked if having the Zimmermann Legend behind her has been a help or a hinderance in her career, Bittlemann replied, “As an athlete who has competed at the absolute highest level that I can attain in sports, I’ve been very fortunate that being on the US Olympic Team, when you walk into that room you’re there because you’re one of the best and you expect every other person there to be there for the same reason. My name was irrelevant. I was there for my team, for the game, and we were there to win.”

When asked if her grandfather, multi-Stanley Cup winner Bad Bob Zimmermann, gave her any grief for playing for Team USA instead of his home team, she smirks and shakes her head.

“I definitely think my grandfather wanted me to play for Team Canada. The rivalry is crazy! I mean there’s even been history of post-whistle brawls,” she laughs gleefully.

“The two teams have been the top women's hockey teams in the world since the beginning of time. But in the end, I went with the US team because I was born here. He was upset at first. It wasn’t personal, but I think it might have felt personal for him -- but then he came around. Especially when I told him we’d get the gold.”

Bittlemann was asked if she had been involved in any of those brawls.

“Lord! I plead the fifth. My memaw would be so mad at me if I answered that.”

Her godfather is Bruins head coach Adam Birkholtz. She laughs and says, “My parents say he’s the reason I’m a goon. They totally blame him!”

She was recently asked to be a part of Revlon’s latest ad campaign. With the good looks that run in her family it was easy to see why. Bittlemann’s father was frequently named the most handsome player in the NHL, and her grandmother is former model and actor, Alicia Zimmermann. She took a pass on the Revlon offer, however.

“It just isn’t for me. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not turning my nose up at it or people who do that sort of work. It’s hard work! My grandmother was a model, but I can’t see myself doing that. I’m not comfortable with any of it.”

And what of her plans for the future? 

“It’s a big time for women’s equality in sports. Growing up it was about our brothers making it to the pros and now we can do it," she says. “That is my goal, to make that dream accessible for every girl out there. That, and I wouldn’t mind being a GM for a pro team either. I’m in graduate school right now, getting a degree in Sports Management [at Columbia University] and I’m having a great time with that. I’m sure the degree will come in handy.”

Our waiter comes by and asks if we would like anything else, or her pie wrapped to go. She politely declines. A text comes into her phone, and she excuses herself to check.

“It’s our parents’ 29th wedding anniversary next week, and Vincent and I are planning a little something for them. They are still so in love, it’s really sweet. They’re always holding hands and surprising each other with flowers and trinkets.”

She smiles and looks outside the window briefly and says, “Marriage and kids aren’t something I’m really interested in right now. Besides, when you grow up with the world’s most perfect couple as your parents, it’s a hard act to follow.”

Bittlemann adds as a non sequitur, “Someone like me, who's extremely competitive, I’ll never be quite satisfied with where I am, but I have to remind myself to take a step back and take a look at how far I've come. Vincent is really good at reminding me to do that… but I know there’s still a long way to go.”

~*~

**Author's Note:**

> View each page full size:
> 
> [Page 1](http://i.imgur.com/XTXqzDT.jpg).
> 
> [Page 2](http://i.imgur.com/ERMi6Pj.jpg).
> 
>  _Check, Please!_ characters created by the wonderful [Ngozi](http://omgcheckplease.tumblr.com/).


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